The 2023 NBA Slam Dunk Contest took place in Salt Lake City recently. The All-Star Weekend has not disappointed us until now and it seems to be living up to its hype. NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal hilariously rejected a pizza when he was courtside during the Rising Stars Game. If that wasn’t catchy enough, LA Lakers icon Pau Gasol was even spotted with Kobe Bryant’s young daughters and played the role of an “Uncle.”
The 2023 Slam Dunk Contest saw a new winner emerge in Mac McClung. Not many are aware of who he is. The main reason for this would be the fact that he does not even play in the NBA! It is a remarkable feat that we do not see every day when a non-NBA player wins a prestigious tournament.
Mac managed to impress the judges and only had one attempt which didn’t get a perfect score. He first took the basketball world by storm with his YouTube highlights in high school when his dunks went viral. With that said, let’s take a look at how much Mac received for the Dunk Contest trophy.
Mac McClung pocketed a staggering $100,000 for his emphatic NBA 2023 Slam Dunk Contest win
According to various sources, the NBA’s Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) will see Mac bring home a whopping $100,000. The runner-up, Trey Murphy III of the New Orleans Pelicans, won $50,000.
Mac hails from Virginia and completed his college education at Gate City. He went undrafted at the 2021 NBA Draft but chose to stay resilient and achieve his dream of playing in the NBA one day. He joined 17x NBA champs Lakers to play at the 2021 Summer League but was waived months later.
Despite the numerous obstacles he was hit with, Mac made sure to keep going. The young star even signed multiple 10-day contracts with the Chicago Bulls, before being sent to their G-League affiliate. He had also signed a 10-day contract for the Philadelphia 76ers before being waived. Currently, McClung plays for the Delaware Blue Coats in the G-League. It is not known whether he will have a shot at the NBA anytime soon, but it sure would be amazing to see his extraordinary dunks on an NBA court.